Column: What will the Detroit Lions do with the second pick in the NFL draft?

Paul NeumeyerWith the NFL Draft only four days away, speculation continues to escalate over what the Detroit Lions will do with their second overall pick.

Will they trade down and grab some additional picks?

Will they take a potentially-dominating defensive tackle?

Will they opt to find protection for quarterback Matt Stafford and draft an offensive left tackle for the future?

Will they make our jaws drop in amazement by making a pick that none of us expected?History tells us whatever the Lions do, odds are it won’t be good.

Since 1980 — that’s 30 years, folks — the Lions have had no more than nine first-round picks who have gone on to make strong contributions. That’s only 30 percent accuracy on your top pick. While a .300 batting average might work in baseball, it’s equates to a lot of botched opportunities and wasted money in football.

The Lions’ best pick, of course, came in 1989 when they took Barry Sanders with the third overall selection. Two teams picking ahead of the Lions that year still are kicking themselves for not taking Barry.

The jury still is out on last year’s first-round picks — Stafford and tight end Brandon Pettigrew — but early returns from their rookies seasons are promising.

Then there are the Matt Millen years. Sorry to ruin your day, but it is what it is and it’s a big part of the reason the Lions are where they are — picking first or close to first nearly every year.

The Lions’ top picks during the Millen era were, in order: Jeff Backus; Joey Harrington; Charles Rogers; Roy Williams; Mike Williams; Ernie Sims; Calvin Johnson and Gosder Cherilus. Only Johnson has lived up to pre-draft hype. Backus hasn’t been outstanding but has provided longevity, and Sims is adequate.

Take a look back further, to the 1960s when the Lions and NFL had to compete with the American Football League for drafted players. In 1962, the Lions picked John Hadl with their No. 1 pick, but Hadl opted to play for the San Diego Chargers instead and had a solid pro career. In 1965, the Lions picked wide receiver Fred Biletnikoff, but he decided to play for the Oakland Raiders and became a Hall of Famer.

There were some successes back then, though. In 1967, the Lions used their No. 1 pick to take UCLA running back Mel Farr. And they used their second pick to grab cornerback Lem Barney, a future Hall of Famer.

In 1968, the Lions grabbed quarterback Greg Landry from Massachusetts, and the later helped the Lions to the playoffs.

Perhaps the Lions’ best draft year was in 1969, when they traded six of their first nine picks away. Can’t make many mistakes that way.

True, the NFL Draft is a crap-shoot. General managers, coaches and scouts attempt to predict how a college player will mature, develop and compete at the NFL level. You’re not always going to be right, which is why you often find later round picks become NFL stars. New England Patriot quarterback Tom Brady is a prime example.

But the Lions have a chance this year to add some strength to a team in need of strength. With all the talk that the St. Louis Rams are going to take Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford with the No. 1 overall pick (a head-scratcher as far as I’m concerned), that opens up the draft menu for the Lions to pick and choose.

If the draft starts that way with Bradford going to the Rams, then there’s only one thing the Lions should do.

Pick Johnny Cash’s favorite player: A boy named Suh.

Paul Neumeyer is sports editor for The Saginaw News and The Bay City Times. You can reach him by calling (989) 776-9770, or e-mail him a pneumeyer@boothmidmichigan.com.